Electric motor control system



May 27, 1947 w. A. RAY 2,421,084

ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed June 9, 1944 Run 741m:

WILLIAM A. RAY;

(Ittotneg Patented May 27, 1947 ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM William A. Ray, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to General Controls 00., a corporation Application June 9, 1944, Serial No. 539,489,

.7 Claims. (Cl. 172--239) fti'y present invention relates to electric-motor control systems; and particularly to a system for controlling the operation and reversal of a directcurrent motor of the typ having a unidirectional field and an armature winding rotatable in the held in opposite directions in accordance with the polarity of the current passing through it.

An object of this invention is, to provide a systern, including a motor of the character described, whereby full control of the motor can be effected by operation of a simple switch of the single-pole double-throw type.

Another object is to provide a motor control system which includes means for effecting dynamic braking of the motor, the braking means being automatically effective when passage of current through the armature winding is interrupted, v

The motor. control system of this invention, while obviously not so limited, has particular utility in connection with the operation of fluid control valves in aircraft. employed for controlling supply of fuel to the engine of an aircraft, it is sometimes very important that control of operation of the valve be instantaneously effective. To cite an example: if the pilot of the aircraft, believing that an emergency landing is imminent, should initiate closing of the valve and a moment later, seeing chance to continue flight, should attempt to reverse the operation of the valve-the response of the valve-operating mechanism should be in stantaneous in order to prevent possible stalling or the engine. However, in an arrangement commonly employed in aircraft, the valve is operated an electric motor through switching mechanism (additional to a manually-operated starting switch) which maintains operation of the valve in the direction selected by the manual switch until such operation is complete, wherecon the motor is automatically stopped by the s M hing mechanism. The period of operation of this valve may be of several seconds duration, and since the manual switch is ineffective during that period, there may be established a dangerous condition such as might, for example, cause undesired stoppage of the engine, It is therefore an object of this invention to avoid such deficiency by providing a system, adapted for the control of an electric-motor-operated valve or similar device, which system includes means for maintaining operation of the device such operation is initiated by a manual switch and for stopping the device when the selected operation is complete, but which is so ar- When the valve is ranged that movement of the manual switch to an opposite position during operation of the device eiiects substantially immediate reversal of operation.

Other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be found in the description, the drawing; and the claims; and, for full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a motor control system embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 is a view identical with that of Fig. 1 except that the parts are here shown in moved positions.

In the drawing, the numeral H indicates a direct-current motor comprising a rotor or armature winding 12 which is mounted for rotation in the field of a permanent magnet IS. The ends of the armature winding are connected, through the usual commutator arrangement (not shown) and brushes I4, respectively to the inner ends of a pair of resistors 15 and H5. The outer ends of these resistors, being grounded as indicated," are effectively connected in common to the grounded lower terminal of a source of direct current l'l. Connected to the other terminal of the source is a manually-operable switch arm I8 which c0- operates with a pair of contacts l9 and 20. Contact I9 is connected by a wire 2! to a contact finger 22 which (as seen in Fig. 1) slides on a conducting segment 23 carried by an insulating disk 24 which (as indicated by the broken line 25) is rotatably driven, through the reduction gear indicated by the legend, by the rotor or armature winding l2. Also sliding on the segment 23 is another contact finger 26 which is connected by a wire 21, through left-hand brush 14, to one end of the armature winding l2. manner, the other contact 20 is connected by wire 28 to contact finger 29 which (as seen in Fig. 2) slides on another conducting segment 30 carried by disk 24. Also sliding on the segment 30 is another contact finger 3| which is connected by wire 32, through right-hand brush 14, to the other end of the armature winding l2. Operative 1y connected (as indicated by line 25) to disk 24 is a control device or fluid control valve 33. Rotation of disk 24 is limited by engagement of an arm 34, projecting from the disk, with an arcuate stop member however, it is to be understood that suitable stop means associated with the control device 33 could serve the same purpose,

To facilitate understanding of the motor control system of this invention, it will first be con- In a similar segment i i :L windiS back to the source h i '5 iU- the direction such that disk 24 ion be- 5; checked when the motor circuit is interrupted i finger 22, e motor and disk continuing to move under mm *1 disk arm 35 engages parts then being in the r1211 e motor 15 operated o'rcuit then being through finger 29, segment 30 and finger 31-se that the parts reassume the positions ynarnic braking of the motor (as becomes when eased from its associessentiei and have been inchided merely to I itnte understanding of the figures of the i9 2B are importance the oontroi of i red to in the In bUUh a control oi r d can if to ped due to the dynamic 1 7 intermediate e spirit oi the ine to be limited only A lLnJi on, and I ntend t erefor a permanent magnet providing afield to;- said winding, a source of direct current, a pair of reslstors connected respectively to each or the ends of said winding and in common to one terminal of said source, and switching mechanism including a single-pole double-throw switch for connecting the other terminal of said source selectively to one or the other end otsaid winding so that current can flow through the winding in corresponding opposite directions, said switching mechanism being so constructed and arranged that said other source-terminal is normally disconnected from said winding, the values of said resistors being such that effective braking of the motor is effected when said winding is disconnected from said source.

5. In a motor control system: a direct-current motor comprising a rotatable armature winding; means providing a constant unidirectional field for said winding; a source of direct current; a pair of resistors connected respectively to each of the ends otsaid winding and in common to one terminal of said source; a switch for connecting the other. terminal or said source selectively to one or the other end of said winding so that current-can flow through the winding in corresponding opposite directions; and means,

I controlled by the rotation of said winding in response to operation or said switch, for interrupting flow 01' current through the winding upon a predetermined amount of rotation thereof.

6. In a motor control system: a direct-current motor comprising a rotatable armature winding; means providing a constant unidirectional field for said winding; a source of direct current; a 35 pair of resistors connected respectively to each of the ends of said winding and in common to one terminal of said. source; a switch for connecting the other terminal 01 said source selectively to one or the other end of said winding so that current 40 rupting said flow; said circuit-maintaining means being so arranged that operation or said switch to an opposite position while said winding is energized efiects reversal of current flow therethrough.

7. In a motor control system: a direct-current motor comprising a rotatable armature winding: means providing a, constant unidirectional field for said winding; a source or direct curent; a pair of resistors connected respectively to each of the ends of said winding and in common to one terminal of said source; a switch for connecting the other terminal of said source selectively to one or the other end of said winding so that current can flow through the winding in corresponding opposite directions; and means, operated at reduced speed by the rotation of, said winding in response to operation of said switch, for maintaining flow of current through the winding durand for then interrupting said flow; said circuitmaintaining means comprising a pair or conductlng means capable of effecting interconnection of said switch with the individual ends of the winding during said predetermined amount of rota- WILLIAM A. RAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

' UNITED STATES PATENTS tiOn of the winding.

Number Name Date 1,078,815 Wiegand Nov. 18, 1913 1,359,333 Cowles Nov. 18, 1920 1,898,242 Chandler Feb. 21, 1933 2,180,205 Hcdgman Nov. 14, 1939 435,899 Johnson Sept. 2, 1890 967,210 Lewis Aug. 18, 1910 1,455,618 James May 15, 1923 1,555,071 Parvin Sept. 29, 1925 I FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 28,539 Great Britain 1902 

